Geography of Namibia – The Ultimate Free Guide 2021
Learn facts and Geography of Namibia including Major Geographical Features, Natural resources, Region, area, Capital, Border countries, rivers in Namibia.
- The Namibian landscape consists generally of five geographical areas, each with characteristic abiotic conditions and vegetation with some variation within and overlap between them: the Central Plateau, the Namib Desert, the Great Escarpment, the Bushveld, and the Kalahari Desert.
- The Central Plateau runs from north to south, bordered by the Skeleton Coast to the northwest, the Namib Desert and its coastal plains to the southwest, the Orange River to the south, and the Kalahari Desert to the east.
Geography of Namibia
Region:
Southern Africa
Area:
Ranked 34th
Capital:
Windhoek
Population:
2,550,226
Bordering Countries:
It is bordered by Angola to the north, Zambia to the northeast, Botswana to the east, South Africa to the southeast and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west.
Total Size:
825,615 km2
Geographical Coordinates:
22°34′S 17°5′E
World Region or Continent:
Africa
General Terrain:
Mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east. In the north near the border with Angola there is a flat area that has been designated by the World Wildlife Fund as part of the Angolan mopane woodlands ecoregion
Geographical Low Point:
Atlantic Ocean
Geographical High Point:
Königstein
Climate:
Namibia has a subtropical desert climate characterized by great differences in day and nighttime temperatures, low rainfall and overall low humidity. Namibia experiences winter and summer at opposite times as Europe and North America and they correspond to the Dry and Wet seasons.
Major cities:
| Windhoek |
| Walvis Bay |
| Swakopmund |
| Henties Bay |
| Omaruru |
| Otjiwarongo |
| Okahandja |
| Grootfontein |
| Mariental |
| Outjo |
| Gobabis |
| Tsumeb |
| Keetmanshoop |
Major Land forms:
- The Bushveld is a flat, sandy area towards the northern border with Angola.
- The area includes Etosha National Park, one of the world’s greatest wildlife-viewing spots, according to Lonely Planet. The 7,722-square-mile expanse of flat salt pans is transformed during the rainy season into a shallow lagoon that attracts flocks of flamingos. Nearby grassland and watering holes attract larger wildlife such as lions and elephants
- Namibia is an extremely arid country. Whereas the Namib Desert runs along the country’s so-called Skeleton Coast and is distinguished by its looming dunes in a variety of hues from maroon to apricot, the Kalahari Desert is an inland expanse shared with South Africa and Botswana.
Major Rivers and Lakes:
Major rivers:
- The Kunene (Cunene),
- The Okavango (Cubango),
- The Mashi (Kwando), and
- The Zambezi on the northern border and the Orange on the southern.
Major Lakes:
- Lake Guinas is the larger of only two natural lakes in Namibia.
Natural Resources:
Namibia has been well endowed with natural resources, including a diversity of
- Wild fauna and flora,
- Diamonds,
- Uranium,
- Lead,
- Copper,
- Zinc,
- Natural gas as well as fisheries.
Major Geographical Features:
Biomes & Ecosystems:
Namibia is classified into four terrestrial biomes (desert, karoo (nama and succulent), acacia savanna, and broad-leafed savanna), and two aquatic biomes (coastal marine and wetlands).
Topography:
Namibia is largely an elevated, waterless plateau partly suitable for arid grazing. The average altitude is 1,080 m above sea level; the high point, near the coast, is Konigstein, at 2,606 m. Along almost the entire range of the coast there are sandy wastes and high, reddish sand dunes.
Oceans:
The Atlantic Ocean
Islands:
Major Islands of Namibia are Bird Island and Impalila.
Mountain Ranges:
- Brandberg Mountain
- The Spitzkoppe
- Brukkaros Mountain
- Moltkeblick
- Omatako Mountain
- Dikwillem
- Burnt Mountain (Namibia)
- Mount Erongo
- Oorlogstein
Regions of Namibia:
- The Caprivi,
- Kavango,
- Kunene,
- Omusati,
- Ohangwena,
- Oshana and Oshikoto regions in the north,
- The Omaheke,
- Otjozondjupa,
- Erongo and Khomas Regions in the central areas and
- The Hardap and Karas regions in the south.
See Also:
Web References:
